1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a protection structure for a case where disconnection occurs in a connector provided at an end portion of a high-voltage electric wire that is an electric wire for high voltage, or a protection structure for a case where a conductor of a high-voltage electric wire has dropped out from a connection part between the conductor and a terminal fitting in a connector, and a connector using such a protection structure.
2. Description of the Related Art
For example, an inverter unit and a battery mounted on a hybrid car or an electric car are electrically connected to each other through a wire harness for a high voltage application (herein abbreviated to high voltage simply). The high-voltage wire harness includes a plurality of high-voltage electric wires, a shield connector provided at end portions of the high-voltage electric wires, and a shield member provided outside the high-voltage electric wires.
In FIGS. 13 to 15, a shield connector 101 is provided at end portions of three high-voltage electric wires 102. Such a shield connector 101 includes terminal fittings 103, a housing 104, rubber plugs 105, seal rings 106, a packing 107, spacers 108, a rear holder 109, a shield shell 110, and a shield ring 111 (refer to a shield connector disclosed in JP-A-2011-54393).
The terminal fittings 103 are conductive metal components. The terminal fittings 103 are connected to conductors 112 exposed from the end portions of the high-voltage electric wires 102. The terminal fittings 103 and the conductors 112 are connected by caulking (crimping) as illustrated.
The housing 104 is an insulating component formed by resin molding. The housing 104 has reception portions 113 for receiving the end portions of the electric wires and the terminal fittings 103. When the terminal fittings 103 are received in the reception portions 113, the housing 104 can protect connection parts between the terminal fittings 103 and the conductors 112 from the outside.
The rubber plugs 105 are placed at the end portions of the high-voltage electric wires 102 in advance. The rubber plugs 105 are received in the reception portions 113 together with the terminal fittings 103. When the rubber plugs 105 are received in the reception portions 113, the rubber plugs 105 are brought into tight contact with covers 114 of the high-voltage electric wires 102 and the inner surfaces of the reception portions 113 to prevent moisture or the like from invading. That is, the rubber plugs 105 function as waterproofing members.
The seal rings 106 also function as waterproofing members in the same manner as the rubber plugs 105. Specifically, the seal rings 106 are brought into tight contact with the terminal fittings 103 and the inner surfaces of the reception portions 113 to prevent moisture or the like from invading. The packing 107 is brought into tight contact with a not-shown shield case of a high-voltage device to prevent moisture or the like from invading. The packing 107 is placed in an annular packing groove formed in a surface of a flange portion 115 facing the device.
The spacers 108 are resin components for locking the terminal fittings 103 received in the reception portions 113 of the housing 104. When each spacer 108 is fitted to the housing 104, a part of the spacer 108 is inserted into a lock hole formed in an intermediate portion of a corresponding one of the terminal fittings 103 to thereby lock the terminal fitting 103. The terminal fitting 103 is put in an immobile state by the spacer 108 (the terminal fitting 103 itself is also fixed by connection on the high-voltage device side).
The rear holder 109 is a resin component for pressing the rubber plugs 105 received in the reception portions 113 of the housing 104 while pinching the three high-voltage electric wires 102. The rear holder 109 is caught and locked to lock protrusions protruding in a rear portion of the housing 104.
The shield shell 110 is a conductive metal component. The shield shell 110 is placed outside the housing 104 and fixed to the not-shown shield case of the high-voltage device by bolting. Incidentally, when the shield shell 110 is fixed to the shield case, the housing 104 is also put in an immobile state. The shield shell 110 has a cylindrical portion 116. For example, end portions of shield members 117 such as braids are put over the cylindrical portion 116.
The shield ring 111 is an annular metal component provided outside the cylindrical portion 116. The shield ring 111 is deformed by caulking so that the shield members 117 can be fixed onto the cylindrical portion 116. The shield members 117 have conductivity, and are grounded to the not-shown shield case of the high-voltage device through the shield shell 110. The shield members 117 are formed into a cylindrical shape to cover the three high-voltage electric wires 102 in a lump.
A high-voltage wire harness having a configuration including the shield connector 101 arranged thus is, for example, arranged to pass through a vehicle underfloor and connect an engine room with a vehicle rear portion.
In the aforementioned background art, the high-voltage electric wires 102 are prevented from dropping out from the housing 104 due to the structure of the rear holder 109 and so on. However, a structure for protecting a live portion is required even when disconnection occurs.